1) Lakes is a six-piece emo … Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists named Lakes:
1) Lakes is a six-piece emo outfit from Watford, UK.
https://www.ourbandlakes.com/
2) Lakes is an Australian industrial music project of Sean Bailey of Melbourne, Australia.
http://www.facebook.com/Lakes-287077364641880
3) Lakes is a Finnish five-piece band from Helsinki, Finland, combining metallic hardcore with elements from all sorts of heavy music genres.
http://www.lakeshardcore.fi
4) Lakes was an American indie rock band, formed in June 2006 in Atascadero, California, United States, consisting mainly of the former band members of Watashi Wa. They were signed to The Militia Group and on September 5, 2006, released a five song EP named Photographs EP.
March 19, 2015, Lakes announced via the Facebook page that they would return to their original name, Eager Seas.
5) Lakes was a British emo post-rock band. They released a mini album on Signature Tune in 2007.
White Flag
Lakes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll read you what I wrote
And let you have what you own
If I could find a flag, could you please make it white?
I know this is right, I know
This is right,
And I'm beginning to see
I always thought that I had to change the world,
I thought that I had to win the war,
but I'm so lost in the fight.
And so I'm letting this be, and I'm beginning to see.
I've got to let this be.
Feed me to the birds if it helps them grow strong.
Or take this all away, if it's part of the song.
Or feed me what I need, if you'd like me to fight.
I know this is right, I know
This is right
And I'm beginning to see
I always thought that I had to change the world,
But my world came down tonight
I thought that I had to win the war,
But I'm so lost in the fight.
And so I'm letting this be, and I'm beginning to see.
I've got to let this be.
I've got to let this be.
And If I'm lost and alone,
If I'm empty and dry,
could you bring me inside?
would you bring me inside?
I always thought that I had to change the world
But my world came down tonight
I thought that I had to win the war
But I'm so lost in the fight.
And so I'm letting this be, and I'm beginning to see.
The lyrics of Lakes's song White Flag speak to a realization that the singer has experienced - they've been fighting too hard for too long, trying to change the world and win battles. Tonight, something has shifted, and they are ready to surrender. They want to come home and let go of the fight. This comes with a desire to let people in, to read what they've written and share their world. They are asking for a sign, a white flag, to indicate that it's time to let go.
The imagery used throughout the song is striking, showing a willingness to self-sacrifice if it will help something or someone else. The willingness to be fed to the birds if it helps them grow stronger is a powerful metaphor for letting go of what we cling to, in order to serve the greater good. The singer is also willing to be fed what they need, if others want them to fight, but is ultimately willing to let go of everything and surrender.
The chorus repeats the central message of the song - that the singer always thought they had to change the world and win the war, but they've realized they're lost in the fight. They are letting go and beginning to see that this is the right path. If they are lost and alone, they are asking for help to be brought back inside.
Overall, the message of White Flag is one of surrender, acceptance, and letting go of the need to control or change everything. It's an insightful reflection on the struggles we all face, and a reminder that it's okay to say enough, and come home.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be coming home by the end of this song.
I'll finish everything that I want to say in this song and then come back to you.
I'll read you what I wrote
I'll share with you what I have written.
And let you have what you own
I'll give you back what belongs to you.
If I could find a flag, could you please make it white?
If I could find a way to surrender, would you accept it?
I know this is right, I know this is right, And I'm beginning to see
I know that giving up and accepting defeat is the right thing to do and I am starting to understand that.
I always thought that I had to change the world, But my world came down tonight, I thought that I had to win the war, but I'm so lost in the fight.
I used to think that I had to make a big impact in the world, but tonight everything has come crashing down, and despite fighting for so long, I feel so directionless and hopeless now.
And so I'm letting this be, and I'm beginning to see. I've got to let this be.
I'm surrendering and accepting what has happened as it is, because I now realize that it's the best thing for me.
Feed me to the birds if it helps them grow strong. Or take this all away, if it's part of the song. Or feed me what I need, if you'd like me to fight.
If sacrificing me could lead to positive outcomes, then let it happen, or if it's just fate, then take away the struggles that I am going through now, but if I still have a battle to fight, then give me the strength to do so.
And If I'm lost and alone, If I'm empty and dry, could you bring me inside? would you bring me inside?
If I am at my lowest, would you still accept me and give me shelter and comfort?
I've got to let this be. I've got to let this be.
Once again, I need to emphasize the importance of accepting my fate and surrendering.
Contributed by Ava V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.